


That's Not Me

by Nostalgic_Kitty, radkoko



Category: X-Men (Movies), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Fandom, X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bullying, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-17
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-06-09 00:19:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6881569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nostalgic_Kitty/pseuds/Nostalgic_Kitty, https://archiveofourown.org/users/radkoko/pseuds/radkoko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Charles has always been an intelligent boy, but sometimes he lets the world around him dictate who he should be. Sacrificing intelligence to have the chance at friends was not his smartest choice, and now Charles has to decide if this is how he wants to live his life or if he wants to be himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	That's Not Me

**Author's Note:**

> For the 2016 X-Men Big Bang.
> 
> Story by [Radkoko](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Radkoko)  
> Art by [Nostalgic_Kitty](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Nostalgic_Kitty)

“He’s an idiot."

The words echoed through the hall until they reached Charles. The voice was one that he knew, and although Erik wasn’t much of a talker, the deep voice had distinct qualities that made it hard to miss.

“Really Erik,” Emma replied with a huff.

Now Charles was intrigued. His girlfriend and her best friend were talking about someone, and even though he’d always been taught not to eavesdrop he really couldn’t help himself from listening in as their voices carried through the empty halls.

“How can you like someone like that?”

“We’ll you’ve never had any taste, so I can understand how you wouldn’t get the appeal."

Like?… Charles breath hitched as he started to piece it together, they were talking about… him.

After Erik grunted in disagreement Emma started listing off qualities, “He’s adorable, everyone likes him-"

“He fails every test put in front of him,” Erik added mimicking Emma’s tone.

“Erik!”

“Emma, you two are only dating because it makes your parents happy."

“That’s not true, we get along great."

“Get along great, exactly what every marriage is based around. Why wouldn’t you go for someone more intellectual?"

“Like who, Sebastian? Believe me Charles out paces all of them even if you don’t see it."

“If you say so."

“I do,” Emma fired back, “It’s a good thing it’s not you he’s dating."

“Yeah…” When Charles heard the disappointment in Erik’s reply, he knew he couldn’t listen to any more.

Without a second thought he strode through the hallway and out to the parking lot where Edward was waiting with the car.

“Is Miss Emma not joining us today?” Edward asked, holding the back door of the car open for Charles.

“No…” Charles avoided Edward’s eyes as he started to feel the gnawing guilt of leaving Emma behind when she would be expecting him to give her a ride home.

Charles stayed silent the whole trip home. He could see Edward’s concern with each glance at him in the rear view mirror, but it took all of Charles’ will to keep it together.

He gave a slight nod of thanks to Edward before practically racing towards his room. Charles slowed down enough to avoid his mother’s attention as he passed her sitting in the drawing room; he wasn’t interested in talking relationships with her.

Once he was in his room with the door shut, Charles finally broke down. Sliding to the floor in front of his door he buried his head in his knees and cried.

Stupid… everyone thought he was stupid.

Of course they thought he was stupid, he’d been playing that role, but there was something about Erik’s vehemence towards him that really hurt. Charles tried to piece it together, maybe it was because Erik never fit in with the group either. He’d started to believe that Erik saw through the act, but played along anyway because it made Emma happy. Well obviously that wasn’t the fact. Erik said it plain and clear, Charles was an idiot.

He wiped away the tears on his cheeks and threw his bags on his desk. Why had he done this to himself?

Burying himself under his cover Charles hoped that sleep would make him feel better.

 

* * *

 

_"Charles this is Emma Frost. Her father is an old friend of the family,” Charles’ mother directed him to the girl standing at her side. She was about his age with shoulder length platinum blonde hair and a fake smile that seemed to fool his mother, but not Charles._

_“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Charles replied as his mother always expected of him. It didn’t mean much for him to bow since Emma already stood a few inches taller than him, yet Charles still did. The bow was enough that his mother was happy to leave the two of them alone._

_After a few moments of silence between them, Charles felt the need to say something, “You don’t seem too thrilled to be here…”_

_Emma scoffed, “Are you?"_

_Charles looked around and the crowd. They’d all been invited over to the house to celebrate his family’s return to New York. “My mother wouldn’t be too happy with any answer other than ‘It’s a pleasure.’"_

_He felt Emma evaluate him, trying to decide whether he was being serious or joking. “No, it’s not very fun to be paraded around a bunch of my mother and father’s friends just because we moved. I’d much rather be back in London."_

_“Anything not at this party would be good with me,” Emma replied with a smirk. “It’s nice to have someone my own age to talk to…"_

_“Agreed…They all want to talk business and politics like we’re coworkers. It’s dull."_

_The two of them smiled._

_They became quick friends during that night and grew closer as they got dragged around to parties through the summer._

_“Everyone this is Charles,” Emma introduced him to a group of her friends. There were far more people his age here than he’d been around in many years. It was intimidating, not knowing what they were talking about. Sports this, relationships that. It was impossible to follow any of it for someone who had been in London for the last 8 years of his life._

_“Coach doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” a boy named Sebastian boasted. Charles hadn’t really liked the way Sebastian talked, but he seemed to be close to Emma so Charles tried to follow along with his conversation. “I’m right aren’t I, Charles?"_

_Charles stopped still like a deer in headlights. What had they been talking about… He remembered hearing words like interceptions, blocks, tackles, and flags, but he had no idea what any of them meant. Even as a young boy American Football had never been popular in his family. He had no uncles that sat him down to learn about the sport. Football, or as everyone around him continued to call it Soccer, had always been his thing and they were not close enough to compare._

_“Of course, Sebastian,” Charles tried to play it off, but he could tell from the expectant looks around him that he was going to have to say something mildly intelligent about the sport to make the group happy. “You can’t tackle after an interception or the referee will throw a flag.”_

_That sounded decent right? It’s like the referee in Football giving a card if you slid into someone without managing to put a foot on the ball._

_Apparently not. Everyone broke out in laughter._

_“Seriously Emma, where did you find this one? He has no clue about football,” Sebastian mocked._

_“You say that like any of the Cheerleaders understand it either,” a girl named Angel piped in. Charles thought it was sweet, but it wasn’t going to make a difference with the way Sebastian saw him._

_“Why did you even bring him with you Emma? Is he your boyfriend or something, because I’m sure the guys on the team would suit you better."_

_“Yes, he is my boyfriend. So treat him better than that."_

_And that was how Charles got his girlfriend. It had surprised him at the time, but he grew to like the idea. Emma had been kind, she was the one that helped him make friends, and it doesn’t hurt that his mother liked her as well. Even Emma’s parents were thrilled when they found out the two of them were dating._

_They were fawned over at the next few parties that their parents dragged them along to, so when school came Charles was happy for something different. It wasn’t until a few days into the school year that Charles met Erik. Emma was at her locker chatting with the tall boy when Charles walked over. Erik shut up immediately and barely mumbled a hi when Emma introduced him._

_Somewhere along the way Charles had gotten the idea that Emma’s friends liked the unintelligent him. The one that fumbled over his words and pretended to act smart. Charles hated that version of himself, it was the one he pulled out at parties. On most occasions he knew enough to pass by without detection, but high schoolers were ruthless. They called you out for not knowing something, and they liked being smarter than those around them._

_So really what choice did Charles have? It was easy to start writing the wrong answer on tests. He knew the traps that people fell into when studying, so he acted like any other student. The group grew closer when they shared their suffering test scores, and same wrong answers. They just didn’t know that Charles had everything memorized in his head. Knowing he would one day be outside of this group he always kept on learning the things his professors were teaching. Not turning in homework was a quick way to a C, which was about average with the group. Charles wanted to fit in, but he still needed to pass._

_He just wasn’t sure why he’d decided that friends were more important than learning._

 

* * *

 

Charles woke up the next morning feeling apathetic about heading for school. It wasn’t just that he didn’t want to be there, but that he wanted to do something more than he had been in the last month since school had started. He wasn’t going to be able to stand idly by as certain people - Erik - thought he was an idiot because he didn’t know anything.

That was the one piece of the puzzle that Charles still hadn’t figured out. Why did it only matter what Erik thought. Everyone else has said to his face that he was an idiot, but when Erik said it to Emma it hurt more. It had to be something about the intelligence that Erik himself possessed, which Emma’s other friends lacked. When someone who didn’t match up to his standards said he was dumb it’s because he knew he’d fooled them into thinking he was the same, but Erik who was ever studious and top of the class said something it felt that Charles was failing them both for not being up there next to him.

“Morning Sweetie,” Emma called to him as he trudged over to their group before school started.

“Good Morning darling.” Charles still wasn’t sure how he felt about the nicknames, but it seemed to make Emma happy and the rest of the group teased them about how sickeningly sweet it was to hear their names for each other.

“Why didn’t you wait for me yesterday?” Charles knew Emma was going to ask, he just hadn’t been expecting the whole group to be waiting to hear the answer. A few ‘oohs’ went around like when students got called out by the teachers, but Charles didn’t feel the need to give her a blatant lie, just a side step around the reasoning.

“I wasn’t feeling well…sorry I didn’t tell you."

She hem-hawed with his answer before giving him a small peck on the cheek and responding, “You seemed a little less cheerful than normal. Just don’t do it again.”

Nodding to her, Charles faked a smile and headed off towards his first class of the day.

School stayed the same as usual. Teenage kids running everywhere, gossiping about their best friend behind their back, homework and tests handed out like toilet paper.

When Charles got to his last class and dropped into his seat he wanted nothing more than to go home and never come back. The subject, European History, should have been a breeze for him if he weren’t trying to fail. Mr. Howlett sat at the head of the class running through the French Revolution, which Charles had learned forward and backwards at his last school. It was almost funny to think that if the class had been American History he might have deserved the C.

Papers started getting passed down the rows of students and groans grew with each student that had a pop quiz sitting in front of them. “It’s only 10 questions on the chapter you were supposed to have read this weekend, don’t give me those groans. Plus as soon as your finished you’re free to go."

Charles wanted to laugh. Besides the fact that he liked Mr. Howlett’s frankness with his students, the page in front of him was too easy.

It was in that moment that he decided to go for it, filling it all out with answers he had learned years ago. He packed up his bag and held the paper out to his professor. Charles grabbed the homework handout as he continued walking, which he was sure grabbed the attention of Mr. Howlett more than his quick quiz turn in.

The rush of pride was intoxicating to Charles. Learning was one of his greatest pleasures and he hadn’t realized how much he missed it until that moment.

He texted Emma that he was heading home to get some sleep, but when he got back to his room Charles pulled out a stack of papers that he’d put into one of his desk drawers. Seven classes worth of homework for the last month that he’d never turned in.

“It’s never too late to start,” he told himself as he started through them.

When he could no longer keep his eyes open, Charles caved and went to bed. Waking up with the sun, Charles looked over the work he hadn’t finished and only found a handful. He raced through them from memory instead of using the book and packed up his bag for school.

“Charles, you’re late!” Emma said as soon as she caught his eye.

“I know, I had some homework to get done,” Charles said jogging over to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek as an apology.

“Homework?” Sebastian interrupted from the other side of the group circle.

“Yes?” Charles didn’t even want to acknowledge him, but knew that’d be far more out of character than him doing homework.

“You don’t look like you slept, Charles…” Charles snapped his head to Emma. There was concern for him behind her ice blue eyes. He gave her a genuine smile today, “I promise I’ll sleep more."

“Since when are you smart enough to do your homework?” Sebastian pushed again.

“Maybe when I decided that I was done caring what you thought of me. Besides, Sebastian, when have you ever done any of your work for yourself? Last thing I remember the teachers were fudging your grades so you could play on Friday nights."

The hallway clatter turned silent. Everyone heard that...

Shit. Charles cursed himself. He knew better than to say anything about that, but the lack of sleep and frustration over the last two days let it slip out.

“I have to go,” Charles mumbled giving Emma’s hand a little squeeze before he walked away.

He didn’t have much time, but Charles decided to start his new outlook on school with his history professor. Mr. Howlett was straightforward, and although he’d be pissed with Charles for playing dumb, he was also the most likely to listen to Charles’ crazy request.

“Good morning,” Charles called tentatively as he walked through the classroom door.

“Mornin’,” Mr. Howlett turned towards him with a skeptical look. “You’re not who I was expecting, but you are who I wanted to talk to."

“Me?” Charles questioned.

“Yes, you. I graded your quiz right after you left, did you want to tell me what happened?"

“What happened?” Charles mimicked, “I’m not sure what you mean."

Mr. Howlett held up the quiz with a bright red 100 on the top next to Charles’ name. “Did you cheat?"

“What! No.” Charles couldn’t say he wasn’t afraid that this would happen.

“I know that, but I had to see your reaction.” Mr. Howlett closed the laptop on his desk and looked Charles in the eye, “You just transferred from London, I’ve been wondering how you’ve been failing this class. The quiz makes it kind of obvious."

Charles sighed and bit his lip. “I didn’t understand what I had been doing until yesterday."

“Trying to be popular by being stupid?” Charles cringed at the blatant statement. Mr. Howlett scratched his chin and sighed. “We’ve all been there kid."

“I don’t want to do it any more. I love learning, see…” Charles opened his satchel and pulled out a stack of papers held together by a paperclip.

He handed the stack over to his professor and waited.

Mr. Howlett looked through the months worth of homework with an amused smile growing on his face. “Did you do this all last night?"

“Yes…Is there any way I can still get credit for them?"

Mr. Howlett continued to look through the papers for a moment before he looked back at Charles with a smirk. “I have an idea, but you’ll have to come back at lunch. The bell is going to ring any moment and you probably don’t want to add tardy to your list of delinquencies."

Charles glanced at the clock, and nodded at his professor. “Thank you!"

“I wouldn’t suggest saying that yet,” Mr. Howlett called after him as he ran towards his next class. He sat down and started to wonder what Mr. Howlett had in mind.

 

* * *

 

Charles was anxious as he waited for lunch to roll around. He hadn’t started to expand his plan to other professors in hopes that turning Mr. Howlett to his side would help his cause. Waiting for the bell to ring, Charles began to fidget in his seat.

When he heard the sharp trill of the bell Charles leapt up and headed back towards the other side of campus where his history class was held.

“Hello!” Charles called out in a cheery voice as he entered the classroom.

“Sit down.” Mr. Howlett motioned to the desk in front of him. He waited until Charles was seated to continue speaking, “Next week is the end of the current chapter, with a Unit test on Friday. Whatever grade you get on it, I’ll give you for all your failed exams so far this year."

This was big. If Charles could ace this, he’d be up to a B or even an A to start over with. “Easy!” Charles boasted.

“Easy?” Mr. Howlett huffed with laughter, “Can you do it tomorrow?"

“I could do it today,” Charles quipped back.

“Fine…Tomorrow, lunch. You’ll come here and take the test. I’ll also grade all your homework for you."

“Really?”

“Yup. Only exception is that if I find any of your friends have an unusually high score when they take the test next week our deal is off."

Charles nodded, “Of course."

“See you for 7th period."

“Thank you!” Charles yelled back as he hurried towards the cafeteria for the rest of lunch period.

When he turned to look forward Charles realized that someone was in his way. He stopped just before running into Sebastian, who stood his ground with a menacing glare on his face.

“Lookie here… someone who doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.” Sebastian gripped onto Charles’ shoulder, digging his nails into his shirt.

Charles looked at the hand on his shoulder trying to ignore the pain and bruises that were sure to be left. “I’m sorry about what I said, I haven’t been sleeping and it slipped out."

“Nice try, Charles. You like to think you’re better than people because you have money. You and Emma are the same, one stupid couple that thinks the world should revolve around you."

“Let me go,” Charles tried for firm, but kind as he grabbed onto Sebastian’s wrist.

Sebastian pulled his hand away by the wrist and twisted it away from Charles. “You stupid twat! You don’t get to tell yourself that you’re better than me. You’re nothing!"

Charles felt the hand release from his shoulder, but before he could pull away a fist came flying at his face.

“Shit!” Charles cursed, putting a hand to his mouth where he felt blood start to drip down his chin. “What is wrong with you!"

Looking up Charles watched Sebastian reel up for another punch.

“Charles?” The voice halted Sebastian in his tracks. Erik walked over to them, leaning into Charles’ face, placing his hand under his chin to turn and evaluate the damage. "Are you alright?"

“I’m fine,” Charles replied pulling himself out of Erik’s grasp. It was bad enough that Sebastian wanted to pick on him, but he didn’t need Erik to have any more reason to dislike him.

Sebastian huffed at them and walked away, leaving Erik and Charles standing alone.

“Come here,” Erik said grabbing ahold of Charles’ wrist and pulling him along.

Charles felt the pain in his wrist from where Sebastian had wrenched his arm, and tried taking it back from Erik. Erik let his hand go and watched Charles hold the wrist tight to his chest.

“Did he do that too?” Erik asked nodding to his wrist.

It was hard for Charles to admit his weakness to Erik, but he nodded anyway.

Erik growled under his breath and continued walking as if he expected Charles to follow. Unsure of what to expect Charles continued, staying a few steps behind until he could figure out Erik’s motives.

They got to the bathroom door that Erik held open for Charles. Cautiously he walked through the door and waited to see what Erik was going to do.

“Up,” Erik said pointing towards the counter. He turned away and grabbed a few paper towels to wet in the sink.

Charles looked at himself in the mirror, cut lip and bruise beginning to form on his cheek. He hoisted himself up on the counter to avoid looking any longer.

“Emma told me what you said to him this morning…” Erik said as he dabbed at Charles’ face with the wet paper towel.

Charles tsked, “It was stupid, I didn’t mean to say anything.” He cringed as Erik got to his lip.

“It was stupid…but Sebastian deserved it.” Erik stepped back from Charles looking at him with a serious glare.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Charles stared to wonder what was going on. “I thought you didn’t like me?"

Erik turned towards the trash to throw away the paper towels. “Why did you think that?"

“You never talk to me, you leave Emma’s side when I show up, and you always seem angry about it."

Charles watched Erik place his hands on the counter and sigh. “I don’t hate you…"

Before Charles could ask what Erik meant the warning bell rang. Charles hopped down off the counter and headed towards the bathroom door, “Thanks."

“Try not to do it again."

Charles laughed under his breath. It wasn’t like he’d been trying to do it this time.

 

* * *

 

When the next day rolled around Charles was on edge. It was the moment where he found out if he really knew what he was talking about or he was just being cocky.

He went directly to his classes, deciding that after his fight with Sebastian it was better to avoid Emma’s group altogether. He’d make it up to Emma at some point.

At lunch he made his way to the History building, starting to feel the weight of this test of his entire High School career. If he failed this he wouldn’t be able to convince any of his other professors that he was going to change his attitude. Without this he would be stuck as the idiot forever.

His hand reached for the door handle, but Charles flinched when he went to open it. Taking in a deep breath he had to remind himself… You can do this.

“Get in here already,” Mr. Howlett appeared at the doorway, shuffling Charles inside to the frontmost seat. “You’ve got 30 minutes before the bell rings."

A stapled set of papers were placed in front of him, “You can do it kid."

Charles swallowed back his apprehension. It was nice to hear those words. Nice to know that someone else believed in him, when he was having trouble doing it himself.

With a quick breath, Charles started through the test answering everything in his path. It was far easier than he expected, almost fearing that Mr. Howlett had gone easy on him, but knew that wasn’t his professor's style. He finished the last question with half of the thirty minutes still available, so he quickly ran through all the questions once again to ensure everything was right.

He stood up and passed the paper across the desk to Mr. Howlett who had been in the middle of grading all his homework.

“Done that quickly?” His eyes passed over the first page and looked back at Charles. “Are you sure you’re ready for me to grade it?"

Nodding with as much fervor as he could manage, Charles eeked out a, “Yes."

Charles sat back down waiting patiently to see what would become of him. He may have checked everything twice, but there was always a chance that he missed something...

One page was left and Charles watched the pen go down but never making contact with the paper. Finally Mr. Howlett turned back to the front and wrote something down before turning the paper and holding it out to Charles to take back.

Charles leaped up from his chair taking the papers back to see what was written there.

99%..

He’d gotten 99%.

It was one of the best moments in his life. He believed that he could do this. Whatever he’d messed up before could be forgiven and he was going to make it all right.

He was about to run through the papers to see what he’d gotten wrong, but noticed the big red writing at the top where his name should have been.

“You know normally it’s 2 points off for forgetting your name, but what can I say…I’m feeling generous today,” Mr. Howlett winked at Charles before going back to grade his homework.

“Thank you…” Charles didn’t know how to thank him any more than that. It changed everything.

“I’ll need that back before you leave,” he said pointing at the papers that Charles had clutched to his chest.

Charles looked down at them once more with a smile on his face and placed it back on Mr. Howlett’s desk.

“I’ll see you in final period,” Mr. Howlett said as the bell rang to signal that lunch was over.

Charles nodded and went off on his way.

He could do this.

 

* * *

 

Charles worked over the next week to convince his other professors that he was going to be a better student. Most of them fell for the mostly true sob story that he was having trouble adjusting to a new life after moving from London. They were all happy to let him do make up work to prove that he cared and were surprised to see the jump in his performance. More than one had admitted they didn’t expect to see such drastic results when they agreed to work with him, but were happy to see him improving.

In that time he’d also dropped Emma’s group like a brick. He never went over to them in the morning, and often hid away in the library at lunch. He was still working on what he should say to Emma, but she found him first.

“Charles…Darling,” Emma cornered him one day after school. He hated hearing her use his own term of endearment against him, but he had to admit it was effective.

“Yes Emma?” He replied cringing when he felt the wall behind him, realizing he had no more room to move backwards.

“Why are you avoiding me?” She encroached on his space with a pleasant smile on her face. The smile was deceiving, and one Charles had learned was not one you wanted directed at you.

“I… I’m not avoiding you, Emma."

“Bullshit!” Charles cringed at her curse. She didn’t do it often, so it said a lot about her feelings for her to use it so strongly right now.

Emma stepped away from him, “What happened, Charles?”

He’d been avoiding her eyes, but forced himself to look towards her. There was pain in her eyes hidden behind the mask she usually wore.

With a heavy sigh Charles tried to explain, “It’s… I don’t-“ He needed to start at the beginning…Emma would understand. “I heard you and Erik talking the other day…I’m not stupid and I can’t stand that’s what people think of me. Learning is one of the best feelings in life and I let the idea of being popular overrule that. I-"

“Charles,” Emma interrupted, “I know you’re intelligent. Why didn’t you just tell me?"

Shrugging, Charles looked down at his feet. Logically he should have told her, she is his girlfriend. “I didn’t think you’d approve. We both know your friends don’t."

“If you’re talking about Sebastian-"

“You heard about that?” Charles hadn’t let her see the bruise from their fight.

“Of course I heard about it. Erik told me what happened, I had to stop him from going-“ Emma stopped and bit her lip like she said something she wasn’t supposed to.

“Erik? He’s confusing. Most of the time he acts like he hates me, but then he’s worried when I get in a fight. What is his issue with me?"

Emma laughed, “I don’t think he has an issue with you, he just needs to figure something out for himself."

Charles looked at her confused.

“You’re adorable, you know that,” Emma gave him that genuine smile that he rarely saw, “Anyway, lets not be mushy here, and you need to stop avoiding me! You are my friend aren’t you?"

Charles laughed at her comment, he could always count on Emma. “You still want me as a friend?”

“Hmm, you might really be an idiot if you thought I wouldn’t want you as my friend."

Unable to help himself, Charles grabbed Emma and held her tight in a hug. He’d been thinking he’d lose everyone over this, but Emma was special, the friend he needed.

“How sweet…” A sickening voice echoed through the halls. Sebastian appeared behind Emma, with a sneer on his face, “The sweethearts finally made up."

“Fuck off, Sebastian,” Emma growled, turning to face him.

“So now you need your girlfriend to protect you too?” Sebastian chided Charles.

Charles pushed his way between Emma and Sebastian. It wasn’t about proving Sebastian wrong, just making sure that he didn’t touch Emma. “You heard her…fuck off."

He was asking for a fight, and while Charles wasn’t good at fighting he sure as hell could defend. Watching as a fist pulled back ready to fly forward, Charles braced himself. In an instant, someone came up from behind Sebastian and wrestled him to the ground.

“Stay down,” Erik growled.

“Stop getting in the way. This isn’t your fight Erik,” Sebastian yelled as he sat up from where he’d been thrown down.

“There won’t be a fight,” a gruff voice said to all of them. Mr. Howlett appeared in the hallway, arms crossed as he examined them all. “It’s best you scatter before I get the principal involved."

Sebastian jumped up from his spot on the ground and raced off after giving Charles a nasty glare.

“That kid doesn’t like you does he…” Mr. Howlett muttered under his breath before turning back towards his classroom.

“You aren’t going to report Erik are you?” Charles called out afraid of Erik getting in trouble for protecting them.

When Mr. Howlett turned back to look at them Charles gave his best pleading look.

“What would I report him for? I didn’t see a thing…” He turned away with a smirk on his face.

For a moment only the sound of Mr. Howlett’s footsteps could be heard through the hall. Charles and Erik were particular to avoid each other’s stares. “I’ll be leaving now,” Emma announced, giving Charles a small squeeze to his hand and walked off.

They continued to stand there until not even the sound of footsteps echoed.

“Thanks,” Erik broke the silence first.

“What?” Charles turned to look him in the eye for the first time.

“I said…Thanks,” Erik repeated like it burned his mouth to say that word.

“Shouldn’t I be the one thanking you?” Charles was confused.

“For keeping Howlett from reporting me."

“I didn’t do anything…Thank you for stopping Sebastian."

“Were you going to let him hit you again?” Erik chastised.

“I couldn’t let him touch Emma,” Charles replied. It was the only thing he had been confident about in the last few minutes, and all he got in return was being tsked by Erik.

“What?!” Charles questioned, “You said you don’t hate me, but then you do something like that. Why do I bother you so much?"

Erik turned his head and sighed. He looked back at Charles with a fierce glare, “You need to value yourself more."

Without another word Erik walked away, Charles watching until he disappeared.

 

* * *

 

Charles continued to squirrel himself away in the library finding that it was a sanctuary from the rest of the High School world. Nobody wanted to be in the library, if they even knew it existed.

After their talk Emma had become a regular visitor to Charles’ lunch studying, attempting to keep him company as he worked towards being the best student in the school. The thing he found odd was that she ignored Erik, who sat only a few tables away in favor of him. Then again it wouldn’t have been that hard for Erik to come join them.

“I thought you two were best friends?” Charles asked one day.

“And?” Emma questioned as she made herself comfortable in the cheep plastic chair next to him.

“Well why don’t you sit with him? Or more aptly, why doesn’t he join you over here?"

“It’s Erik. He’s a bit of a mystery, what can I say?” Charles turned to her, giving her the most questioning look that he could manage. “Alright. I’m sure you’ve gotten that Erik isn’t the most friendly of people. Sometimes he just likes to be alone."

Charles glanced towards Erik, but was quick to turn away before Erik could catch him.

“I’m sure you wouldn’t understand. I mean you’ve proven what you would do to keep friends.” Although Emma had been supportive of his new focus on schoolwork she liked to bring up his poor choice when it came to making friends.

As they continued to work through their homework Charles had a hard time staying focused. His eyes started wandering to the boy sitting across the room from them. It was bound to end poorly for him, and he knew it the moment Erik caught his eye.

There they were, locked in a stare across the room. Charles wasn’t sure what to think, but he couldn’t turn away now.

“Should I be jealous?” Emma whispered into his ear.

Charles felt his face heat up and he turned back to his papers to pretend nothing happened. “I do not know what you’re talking about….” If Charles couldn’t convince himself, he would never convince Emma.

“Ohh honey, don’t lie to me.” Emma started packing up her stuff even though there was still plenty of lunch period left to go.

“Lie to you about what?”

She stopped and laughed at Charles, “Please anyone can see that attraction."

Charles clenched his jaw. Curiosity…Yes, fascination even, but attraction?

“It’s not-"

“Save it. Deny it all you want, but you won’t be able to hide in your books forever."

With the last paper shoved into her bag Emma stood up, gave him a kiss to his temple, and walked away.

The kiss wasn’t something he’d been expecting since they had agreed to stop dating weeks ago. She’d understood that he wanted to focus on his studies and they both knew it was better as far as any of her friends were concerned. Yet still he wondered why she chose to kiss him now. Charles glanced towards Erik once again, watching him stare towards the door with pursed lips.

Is that why he didn’t like Charles, because Erik liked Emma?

Charles ignored his work as the rest of the lunch period ticked by. He couldn’t stop himself from trying to figure Erik out, and he was failing.

 

* * *

 

Charles wished the school year would pass by in a blur, but inched along with each test and project that professors expected from them.

He worked on College applications, not needing to do much of anything other than to write down his name for them to beg for him to study with them. They all expected large donations if he was accepted into their programs. It was probably his least favorite thing about his family name and the wealth that came with it, but at least he didn’t have to hope that his first choice would send him an acceptance letter.

 

* * *

 

The days inched around until it finally came; Graduation Day.

He was finally able to get out of the hell of high school and get on with his life. There would be no more of Emma’s friends teasing him for being stupid. Charles would get to start over fresh with new friends and a new life.

Between his grades during the year and his transferred credits, he’d been told that he would be making the graduation speech as valedictorian of the senior class. It took Charles days to convince the teachers that someone who had spent all four years with the class would be better suited for the job. He was happy to sit at the back of the class waiting for his name to be called instead of trying to find some way to inspire all the students to go off to college and “be awesome” as speaker continued to repeat.

He cheered loudest when he heard Emma’s name called and she walked across the stage. It was obvious the people around him thought he was mad, but he didn’t care at this point. It was only a short time until they would be up there walking across the stage.

When Charles got up to the stage and heard his name called, he felt a sigh of relief. It was over all of it.

The ceremony finished with a nice rendition of the school song by the graduating choir and the tossing of their caps. Charles kept his close so it wouldn’t get taken by the wind as so many of his classmates’ did.

Emma was the first to run over and grab ahold of him. She wound her arms around him and he couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face.

There was a sudden flash, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Erik standing nearby with a camera in his hand. “It was a good picture.” Erik had continued to be hot and cold around Charles, but the smile on his face at that moment was irresistible.

After a few more pictures of him and Emma, Charles spoke up, “I should take some of you guys,” Charles offered his hand out to take the camera. Erik was hesitant to hand it off, so Charles just waited patiently. As Erik placed the camera in Charles’ hand he felt Erik’s fingers slowly drag away.

Erik joined Emma, one arm around her shoulder and both of them with grim faces. “Could you two maybe smile for once?” Charles teased, hoping it would elicit a human reaction from them. Instead he got confused looks from both as if he were the crazy one. Emma started with her patented smirk, and the smile that Erik just had on his face disappeared and was nowhere to be found. Charles took a few pictures, watching as their “smiles” dropped back into their usual look of upset.

“You’re both awful at this…” Charles mumbled, realizing he should have known better than to ask them for smiles.

“Fine, fine!” Emma said marching over to him to grab the camera. “You! Back over there,” she commanded.

Giving him a small push, Charles stumbled over his too long robes and fell head first into Erik. Hands held onto him to avoid falling any further towards the ground, but Charles wasn’t sure which he would have preferred.

Erik’s hands felt warm, and when Charles looked up to thank him there was a gentle smile on Erik’s face. Only moments ago Charles would have been excited to get this look on camera, but the moment he heard the tick of the camera in Emma’s hands he knew he wasn’t ready for it to be immortalized on film.

“Thanks,” Charles managed, as he pulled himself upright and dusted off the dirt that he’d kicked up in his stumble.

“Charles you’re not smiling,” Emma taunted wanting to pay him back for his earlier comment.

In a snap he turned on the fake smile he used for all of his parents parties, and stood next to Erik. Emma dropped the camera from in front of her face and frowned. “A real smile please?” The request was genuine making Charles felt guilty over not smiling like she asked, so he gave her a real smile as she continue to snap shots of them.

Charles was sure the pictures of him and Erik were going to have this awkward distance between them, but unless Emma came over and moved them closer he wasn’t going to fix it.

“Could you take a picture of us, please?” Emma turned to a stranger and handed off the camera. She squeezed her way between Erik and Charles, looping an arm around each of their waists and they gave their best smiles.

After the camera flashed a few times for good measure Erik took back his camera and they thanked the man for his help.

“Now it is time to celebrate!” Emma said dragging both of them along to her shiny new graduation present.

 

* * *

 

“I didn’t think you liked food that cost less than $20 a head…” Erik said as they pulled into a spot at the local pizza place. It wasn’t a place that Charles had ever expected Emma to take them.

“Can’t I want a fun night out with my friends?” Charles saw the look in her eyes, it was hard to just relax with your friends when you were expected to be prim and proper at parties all the time. He’d felt the same way many times when he was dragged to another dinner or event with his mother. Too often he had to sit there and smile for hours as people talked about layoffs and summer homes in the same sentence. Emma seemed to handle it better than he did, but there were times he could tell how much it bothered her. She turned on her classic questioning glare and practically dared Erik to say anything further, “I’m paying so why are you complaining?"

“It looks perfect to me,” Charles butted in not wanting their night to be ruined by something trivial.

Erik shrugged it off and headed inside where he and Emma followed.

They ordered and sat down in a quiet corner booth.

It was a perfect night. Hours spent talking, or for Charles listening. He wasn’t sure that he’d ever seen Erik talk so much, but there was something about watching him and Emma argue that made Charles smile. They’d be cute together...

Charles wasn’t sure he’d get another night like this. He would be heading off to school soon, across the ocean to Oxford and he’d have to start all over with new friends. It was something he’d been looking forward to only months ago, but now…now he wanted this. Just the three of them forever.

Emma excused herself to the restroom when they were told the place needed to close up soon. They’d long since finished their dinner so when Charles and Erik were left alone, Charles had nothing to do.

Starting a conversation with someone should be easy, right? But he and Erik had never really talked they weren’t even friends, just friends with the same person.

Looking up from the table to Erik, Charles noticed he was being stared at. They both started talking at the same time, “I want-“ “Did I-"

Charles laughed a little, but could see anguish in Erik’s eyes.

“You should go first,” Erik said.

Charles had never been great at the going first part, but there was something that drove him tonight. Maybe the idea that we wasn’t expecting to see Erik again, or maybe it was the staring. He wasn’t sure he’d ever know why, he just felt that he had to say something.

“Thank you,” he blurted out.

“What?” Erik questioned rightfully confused by Charles’ words.

“I said 'Thank you’... I mean,” Charles took a deep breath and started in on everything. “I doubt you even remember it, but I heard you that day when you told Emma that I was stupid. You made it clear that you didn’t like me and you never understood how she did. Honestly you were right. I was foolish for letting Sebastian and Emma’s other friends think of me as stupid, and I was an even bigger fool for keeping up that facade. But what you said…it helped me snap out of it. Even before that moment it never seemed that you liked me, but when you told Emma how you felt, it meant that I was trying to be someone else and people still didn’t want to be friends with me. Nobody should put themselves through that torture. And if it wasn’t for that moment I would have spent my last year in high school pretending to like people I barely know, and failing classes that I could have passed years ago.” Charles stopped, letting his breath even out after his rambling. “I’ll be leaving for college soon, and you’re probably glad you won’t have to keep getting me out of fights every week. Also I won’t be here to get in the way if you want to ask Emma out. You seem to like her, so you should tell her. Good Luck."

Without giving Erik a chance to respond Charles grabbed his stuff and headed towards the door, avoiding Emma as she came out of the restroom. He ran forward ignoring the calls of his name from them both

Charles ran down the street not slowing down until he could no longer breathe.

Why did he do that? He was never going to be able to face Erik again…but he wasn’t expecting to see Erik again, so what was the harm really?

Shit! How could he tell Erik to date Emma? That would make it harder to talk to her, if she even wanted to talk to him after he ran out like that. Maybe one day she’d forgive him.

There was something else about Erik dating Emma that hurt, but he couldn’t put a name to it.

Charles was just glad that he’d soon be overseas to restart his life. New friends, no complications like this. A clean slate.

 

* * *

  
_3 months later_

Charles had already started adapting to the cool cloudy weather at Oxford. When he’d been in New York he’d hadn’t realized how much he missed this. To most it would be considered gloomy, but Charles couldn’t help himself from loving it.

It wasn’t far into the school year, and Charles was still getting used to the campus. He loved looking around at all the greenery and space that a college like this could afford. It wasn’t cramped into a tiny corner of the city. He often had to stop himself from running into people because of his absent-minded pondering.

On occasion he wasn’t able to stop himself from running into things…or people as it were.

“Oof-“ Charles grunted as he fell to the ground. He’d been taking his time between classes to walk around, but wasn’t paying as close attention as he should have been. Sweeping his hair out of his face, Charles noticed a hand held out for him. “Sorry-” “Here-"

That voice was recognizable anywhere.

“Erik?” Charles head snapped up to see Erik standing in front of him, waiting for him to move.

Charles had tried not thinking about it, but with each passing day he’d started to realize that he regretted how he’d left. It wasn’t until the recent weeks that he’d begun to piece together why he hoped Erik and Emma wouldn’t get together.

“Charles? Are you okay?” Erik called to him, breaking Charles from his self loathing thoughts.

Charles stayed silent, but took Erik’s hand to pull him from the ground.

“Thanks,” he murmured as he dusted off his pants and coat.

Neither one spoke for a moment. Charles desperate to avoid eye contact with Erik, as per usual. He couldn’t stop himself from taking a few glances in Erik’s direction, noticing the bag slung over his shoulder.

“I should be go-“ Charles started to say something before finally looking at Erik. The stare caught him off guard, halting his attempts to sneak away from the conversation.

“Charles, why are you always trying to avoid me?” Erik asked.

“I…I’m…” Charles wanted to say something about that not being true, but he knew it was. Ever since that day, the spark that led him to be himself again, he had been avoiding Erik. Charles had always played it off that it was Erik avoiding him, but that wasn’t true. He steeled himself and let out barely a whisper, “I’m scared."

“Of what?” He could hear the confusion in Erik’s voice, Charles had just begun to understand it himself.

“That you’ll say you hate me."

“Charles I can’t hate you."

“You should…I never valued myself, and then I said all those things to you and ran away. What are you supposed to think of me?” Charles asked. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes, trying to force them not to fall.

There was a finger under his chin, reminding him of the day that Erik came to his rescue. It was the last time that he’d asked Erik if he hated him. When he looked up there was a sad smile on Erik’s face. They stared for a moment before Erik closed the distance between them and kissed him.

“I think you’re adorable the way you can’t stop talking sometimes, and you’re maddeningly oblivious."

“Oblivious?"

“How did you come to the idea that like I liked Emma?” Erik laughed out.

“You…You were always staring at her when we were together, you never wanted to be around me. I thought you hated me for taking her away."

“Try the other way around."

“What?"

“You were all Emma talked about for a month before school started, it was hard to not like you. Then you came in with that dopey smile and acted like you didn’t know anything. I’m sorry that the things I said to Emma hurt you, but I couldn’t stand that you pretending to be stupid for those people. I always hated her jock friends and it drove me up a wall that you cared so much what they thought.” Charles watched Erik pace back and forth in front of him as the words came spilling out.

“So you knew I was just pretending?” Charles latched on to that line.

“Of course, there is too much going on behind those eyes to be as stupid as you were trying to be."

Charles couldn’t help the grin that was growing on his face, “And that kiss?"

Erik stopped in his tracks and scratched at his chin nervously, “I’ve been wanting to do that forever."

“Really?” Charles could help the thudding of his heart in his chest.

“Ever since you told Sebastian off. I wanted to punch him too, but I didn’t think you’d like that. Emma had made a point that you weren’t a fan of violence."

“I wish you had."

“What?!” Erik questioned him.

“Punched him…he deserved it,” Charles said in a hurry to cover up that he had meant it about the kiss. Bitting his lip, Charles decided to say it anyway. “Well I don’t think I would have minded the kiss either."

“Even though you were dating Emma?” Erik was skeptical of his answer.

“I might have understood why you bothered me so much. It took me a while to figure that out."

“Does it bother you?” Charles watched Erik’s hopeful look.

“Other than the fact that we’re making a scene in public? No.”

“Good,” Erik responded leaning in once more to give Charles a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Took us a bit to get through this thing called life, but I hope you enjoyed it just the same.


End file.
